- Cuba's regime wresting political and operational control of the most resource-rich nation in Latin America, Venezuela; undermining that nation's democratic institutions; and directing a campaign of repression that would result in the arrest, torture and murder of innocent student protesters.

- European and Canadian businesses being illegally confiscated, their bank accounts frozen and an unknown number of foreign businessmen imprisoned without charges or trial.

Answer: Today.

- An American development worker taken hostage, Alan P. Gross, who was in Cuba helping the island's Jewish community connect to the Internet, in order to extort the United States into releasing five (now three) spies convicted in federal courts of targeting military installations and conspiracy to murder three American citizens and a permanent resident of the U.S.

Answer: Today.

- Cuba's diplomatic support at international fora in favor of Assad's genocide in Syria, of a nuclear Iran, of Vladimir Putin's illegal annexation of the Crimea and of the violent actions by Russian separatists in the Ukraine.

Answer: Today.

The fact remains that it's not the U.S. living in the past -- it's Putin and the Castro brothers (despite U.S. policy "resets" and engagement).Thus, U.S. policy must continue to treat them accordingly.